Comparing CB Insights, Venturesource, and IDC Private Vendor Watch: Quality Databases and Pricing Differentials
As a co-founder at CB Insights, I must admit, this question is heavily biased towards my own organization. Nevertheless, I aim to provide an objective comparison based on my understanding of the services offered by CB Insights, Dow Jones Venturesource (Venturesource), and IDC Private Vendor Watch (PVA).
Understanding the Comparison
It's important to note that the three services cannot be directly compared in a straightforward manner, as they serve different purposes and have varying levels of comprehensiveness, speed, and additional features. This comparison will focus on CB Insights vs. Dow Jones Venturesource, with a slight exploration of IDC Private Vendor Analysis.
Product Comparison - CB Insights vs. Dow Jones Venturesource
Comprehensiveness
Both CB Insights and Venturesource track venture capital financings and exits, but CB Insights generally tracks a wider array of data. Specifically:
CB Insights can track between 35-50 more financings daily, weekly, or quarterly than Venturesource. CB Insights covers more exits, including MA, IPO, and talent acquisitions. This comprehensiveness is attributed to technology and proprietary partnerships, such as angel data and direct submissions from VCs.Speed
CB Insights is faster in data collection due to:
Daily crawling of 100,000 sources for funding and MA data. Quicker identification and addition of new data points.Industry Classification Flexibility
Industry classification is more inflexible in Venturesource:
Venturesource relies on traditional industry classification schemas, which may not offer detailed insights into specific sectors like Big Data or Cybersecurity.UI/UX and Data Accessibility
CB Insights offers a more user-friendly interface and has:
Modern tech stack and API built in Go. Integration with d3.js for data visualization. Access via online portal, API, Excel plugin, and Chrome browser plugin.Mobile Web Traffic Data
CB Insights also integrates data from sources like iTunes and web traffic:
Enhances company profiles with additional context.Price Comparison - CB Insights vs. Dow Jones Venturesource
Pricing models differ significantly:
Pricing for Venturesource
Accessed through a traditional enterprise software model. Pricing is opaque and can vary widely from 4k for small boutique investment banks to six-figures for bulge bracket investment banks. In many cases, pricing is negotiated based on the number of seats or users.Pricing for CB Insights
Pricing is more transparent and starts at 12k per annum. Pricing is based on capabilities and consumption, rather than seats or licenses. Note that prices have been raised annually, reflecting the increased value of the product.Versus IDC Private Vendor Analysis
IDC PVA offers a different service, focusing on:
Access to industry analysts providing deep analyses of a few hundred private companies per year. No analyst overlay for CB Insights, which tracks thousands of enterprise companies more algorithmically and programatically. CB Insights provides forward-looking intelligence on the health of emerging private companies through its algorithmic approach.Overall, CB Insights is priced at a premium due to its comprehensive data, advanced technology, and transparency in pricing. While Venturesource remains a competitive contender, CB Insights and IDC PVA each offer unique value propositions that cater to different needs and industries.
References
1. A comparison of VC-backed exit data - Venturesource vs. CB Insights
2. 2012 Tech MA Report
3. Big Data Investment Keeps Climbing in 2013 – Funding Hits 1.28B Across 127 Deals
4. As Threats Increase Cybersecurity Software and Hardware Sees Uptick in VC Deals and Funding – 1.4 Billion Across 239 Deals in Last Year
5. CB Insights - Pricing
6. Identifying the Hottest Startups in the iTunes App Store Using Mobile Data Analytics